The Hamiltons’ Adventure Camp (a mystery suspense for children ages 8-12)

Mike Hamilton, a twelve-year-old boy, went to Arizona to visit his grandparents for the summer. He is with his ten-year-old stepbrother, Lance Hamilton, his mother, and his stepfather. It is going to be Lance’s first time meeting his step-grandparents. Mike was against the marriage of his mother to his stepfather a year ago. He still does not like Lance, and he does not treat him like a brother. Meanwhile, Lance is very understanding, and he knows that Mike is still adjusting to their new setup. The boys visited and explored the Prescott National Forest together with their family. Mike and Lance were so happy to explore the place with their grandfather. Mike felt competitive during that time and thought that Lance outbest him. Mike boasted that he is good at finding and collecting precious stones. That night, Mike sneaked from their camping van to continue collecting some stones and Lance tagged along with him. While they were wandering in the forest, the two were shocked when they saw a group of men carrying guns and an animal who was down because of an injury. The two looked at each other, signalling to run and call for help. Will Mike and Lance be able to inform the authorities in time?